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Students wishing to pursue their own business venture can complete an Entrepreneurial Work Term (EWT) as part of the work-integrated learning component of their degree.

Student Eligibility

Commerce Co-op students can complete an EWT during work term two (COMM 3801) or work term three (COMM 3802) and may apply to complete an EWT for more than one work term. Enrolling in more than one EWT can help further develop your business model and operation. Separate EWT applications are required for each EWT experience. Applications to complete an EWT for work term one (COMM 2801) will not be considered.

It is strongly encouraged for students applying for an EWT to have completed at least one of the following courses:

• COMM 3307.03: New Venture Creation
• COMM 3308.03: Managing the Family Enterprise
• MGMT 3902.03: Starting Lean
• COMM 4301-03: Managing the Venturing Process
• COMM 4523.03: Project Management

Management Internship and Corporate Residency MBA students have one opportunity to complete an EWT according to when their internship/corporate residency is scheduled. Ìý

Venture Eligibility

Students may choose to pursue a business they already own/operate or begin a new business venture. Buying into an established business or utilizing a franchise model are not eligible for consideration for an EWT.

Student Evaluation

Every student approved to participate in an EWT will be assigned a business coach to support them throughout their work term. EWT students must participate in, at minimum, bi-weekly coaching meetings and complete an end of work term academic debriefing on the EWT experience with their assigned coach. A mid-term evaluation will be conducted by Management Career Services with the student and their coach, as per all work-integrated learning program requirements.Ìý
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EWT students must also complete the academic requirements for their work-integrated learning component. Note that the requirements may have small adaptations for EWT experiences, and students should connect with their work term course instructor to determine any modified requirements.

Application Process

To participate in an EWT, students must complete two steps by the specified deadlines.

Step One:

Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to ±ð·É³Ù°ª»å²¹±ô.³¦²¹â€¯before the advertised term deadline. The EOI term deadline will be published on the MCS website, in the MCS e-newsletter, on MCS social media channels, and will also be sent to every student’s HÂþ»­ email address at the beginning of each term.Ìý Ìý

All expressions of interest will be reviewed by a work-integrated learning practitioner from Management Career Services and an EWT Business Coach. Students whose EOIs are approved will move on to step two.

All students who submit a c´Ç³¾±è±ô±ð³Ù±ð»å EOI by the submission deadline will be notified within five business days of the submission deadline if they have successfully moved to step two of the EWT evaluation process or not.Ìý Late submissions will not be accepted.

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Step Two:

Meet with an EWT Business Coach to discuss your EOI submission.  Though this process you will work with the coach to:

• Fine tune your business idea
• Identify gaps that may exist and be provided an opportunity to fill them
• Complete a business model canvas, value proposition canvas, or similar, if requestedÌýÌý
• Set business goals for work term period
• Determine if your proposed venture can meet the minimum requirements of 35 hours of work a week for a minimum of 12 weeks for Commerce Co-op or 32 weeks for Management Internship and Corporate Residency MBA
• Complete an Entrepreneurial Work Term Agreement outlining expectations for both student and coach over the course of the EWT

Application Process Completion

If accepted to complete an EWT, Management Career Services, in conjunction with assigned EWT Business Coach, will provide an approval or rejection of the student’s request for an EWT.

The process must be completed two months prior to the start of the work term period.Ìý
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Winter Work Term: Apply in Fall Term (deadline in September, decisions finalized by end of November)Ìý
Summer Work Term: Apply in Winter Term (deadline in January, decisions finalized by end of March)Ìý
Fall Work Term: Apply in Summer Term (deadline in May, decisions finalized by end of July)Ìý
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EWT decisions are finalized one month prior to the start of the work term period to allow students to:

• Focus on successfully completing their current academic term
• Provide time for unsuccessful EWT applicants to secure a traditional work term
• Ensure that one, or more, EWT Business Coaches are available to support the successful applicants through their EWT experiences.Ìý

Students are strongly encouraged to continue a traditional work term job search while applying for the EWT program, since approval is not guaranteed. Ìý
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Questions concerning the Entrepreneurial Work Term application process can be directed to ewt@dal.ca.